Press Awards shortlisting for Melanie Reid

A SERIES of moving articles about life after a paralysing horseriding accident has earned Scots reporter and columnist, Melanie Reid, a nomination in this year’s UK-wide Press Awards.

Writing for The Times, Reid – a former Herald columnist and senior assistant editor – broke her neck and back in April. And her articles – under the heading, Spinal Column – from her hospital bed, have been shortlisted in the Columnist of the Year category.

She is up against fellow Scot, Fraser Nelson. Another Scot nominated is Gordon Smart, in the Showbiz Reporter of the Year category.

The awards are being organised by the Society of Editors to “celebrate the best of British national newspaper journalism”.

Says a statement issued by the Society: “Category judges have studied more than 650 entries in the first stage of the judging process and they will debate the shortlist next month in preparation for the announcement of the winners at the glittering awards ceremony and dinner at London’s Savoy.

“The shortlist for the Cudlipp Award, organised by the British Journalism Review that recognises excellence in popular journalism will be announced later. The Journalists’ Charity’s special award, the award for International Reporter of the year and the prestigious Newspaper of the Year will be announced at the dinner after voting by the whole academy of judges and national newspaper editors.”

The statement quotes the judging panel chair, Bob Satchwell, saying: “The judges faced a formidable task and the rare privilege of reading thousands of words gathered together in brilliant entries that reflect the variety, vitality and sheer excellence of British newspapers which are of course the best in the world.

“In some cases the entries were so strong in quality as well as numbers that it was simply impossible to choose only six for each shortlist.

“If only the public could see the combined efforts of all of our national newspapers in one go they would be as impressed as the judges by the rich and diverse treasures they contain as they inform, entertain and inspire their readers.”

The shortlist reads:

Young Journalist of the Year

Laura Armstrong The People

Heidi Blake The Daily Telegraph

Adam Gabbatt The Guardian

Kat Lay News of the World

Rowena Mason Sunday Telegraph

Alex Ralph The Times

Matt Sandy The Mail on Sunday

Business and Finance Journalist of the Year

Tony Barber The Financial Times

Chris Blackhurst London Evening Standard

Ed Crooks The Financial Times

Larry Elliott The Guardian

Dominic O’Connell The Sunday Times

David Robertson The Times

Martin Wolf The Financial Times

Political Journalist of the Year

Daniel Finkelstein The Times

Peter Oborne The Daily Telegraph

Andrew Rawnsley The Observer

Mary Riddell The Daily Telegraph

Andrew Sparrow The Guardian

Holly Watt The Daily Telegraph

Simon Walters The Mail on Sunday

Foreign Reporter of the Year

Ghaith Abdul-Ahad The Guardian

Miles Amoore The Sunday Times

Andrew Buncombe The Independent

Charles Clover The Financial Times

Richard Jones The Mail on Sunday

Edward Luce The Financial Times

Showbiz Reporter of the Year

Clemmie Moodie The Daily Mirror

Stephen Moyes News of the World

Sara Nathan Daily Mail

Colin Robertson The Sun

Gordon Smart The Sun

Dan Wootton News of the World

Sports Journalist of the Year

Steven Howard The Sun

James Lawton The Independent

Matt Lawton Daily Mail

Simon Mullock Sunday Mirror

Ian Ridley The Mail on Sunday

Martin Samuel Daily Mail

Henry Winter The Daily Telegraph

Specialist Journalist of the Year

Brian Deer The Sunday Times

Chris Giles The Financial Times

Ruth Gledhill The Times

Deborah Haynes The Times

Jason Lewis The Mail on Sunday

John Naughton The Observer

Sean O’Neill The Times

Feature Writer of the Year

John Arlidge The Sunday Times

David Cohen London Evening Standard

Rachel Cooke The Observer

Amelia Gentleman The Guardian

Eleanor Mills The Sunday Times

David James Smith The Sunday Times Magazine

Interviewer of the Year

Decca Aitkenhead The Guardian

Lynn Barber The Sunday Times

Ginny Dougary The Times

Jane Fryer Daily Mail

Caitlin Moran The Times

Jon Ronson The Guardian

Critic of the Year

Craig Brown The Mail on Sunday

Robbie Collin News of the World

Robert Harris The Sunday Times

Caitlin Moran The Times

Alexis Petridis The Guardian

Anthony Quinn The Independent

Columnist of the Year

Craig Brown Daily Mail

Peter Hitchins The Mail on Sunday

Liz Jones The Mail on Sunday

Fraser Nelson News of the World

Matthew Parris The Times

Melanie Reid The Times

Alan Watkins The Independent on Sunday

News Reporter of the Year

Nick Davies & David Leigh The Guardian

Brian Deer The Sunday Times

Insight – Jonathan Calvert and Claire Newell The Sunday Times

Mazher Mahmood News of the World

Lucy Thornton The Daily Mirror

Holly Watt The Daily Telegraph

Photographer of the Year

Matt Cardy Getty Images

Anthony Devlin The Press Association

Dominic Lipinski The Press Association

Edward Mulholland The Daily Telegraph

Stefan Rousseau The Press Association

Jeremy Selwyn London Evening Standard

Sports Photographer of the Year

Graham Chadwick Daily Mail

John Giles The Press Association

Dylan Martinez Reuters

Mark Pain The Mail on Sunday

Richard Pelham The Sun

Carl Recine Action Images

Cartoonist of the Year

Steve Bell The Guardian

Peter Brookes The Times

Nick Garland The Daily Telegraph

Nick Newman The Sunday Times

Matt Pritchett The Daily Telegraph

Neil Kerber & David Black The Daily Mirror

Chris Riddell The Observer

Regular Supplement of the Year

You Magazine The Mail on Sunday

G2 The Guardian

Live Magazine The Mail on Sunday

Buzz The Sun

Fabulous News of the World

The Times Magazine The Times

Sunday Times Magazine Sunday Times

Special Supplement of the Year

David Cameron, The Journey The Sun

World Cup 2010 Guide The Guardian

Factfile UK The Guardian

Michael Jackson Tribute News of the World

Battle of Britain The Sunday Telegraph

Style Fashion Special The Sunday Times

Front Page of the Year

Brutality The Mail on Sunday

World Cup Weather The Sun

Caught! News of the World

A Very Civil Partnership London Evening Standard

A Gadget to Die For? The Independent

Pinickio The Daily Mirror

Scoop of the Year

The Treasury Chief, his secret lover and the £40k claim The Daily Telegraph